Simple Man (Charlie Daniels song)

"Simple Man", is a song written and recorded by the Charlie Daniels Band. It was released in August 1989 as the lead single from their album of the same name. ^[1]

The song is the lament of a self-proclaimed honest man, who expresses frustration at barely getting by despite making an honest living, while dishonest politicians and criminals are allowed to get away with anything. Expressing frustration at a judicial system that he believes is too lenient with drug dealers, rapists and child abusers, he suggests more severe forms of justice, such as hanging ("I'd take a big tall tree and a short piece of rope/I'd hang 'em up high and let 'em swing 'til the sun goes down") and allowing swamp animals such as alligators to eat convicted criminals ("Just take them rascals out in the swamp/Put 'em on their knees and tie 'em to a stump/Let the rattlers and the bugs and the alligators do the rest"). The man blames a society that has forsaken God and as a result has become a lawless society, then reaffirms his support of the death penalty for the most severe crimes ("The Good Book says it so I know it's the truth/An eye for and eye and a tooth for a tooth").

Music video

The music video was directed by Larry Boothby and premiered in late 1989.

Chart performance

Chart (1989)	Peak position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)^[2]	15
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)^[3]	12

References

↑ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. ISBN 0-89820-177-2.
↑ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 6631." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. January 13, 1990. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
↑ "Charlie Daniels – Chart history" Billboard Hot Country Songs for Charlie Daniels.

Charlie Daniels Band

Charlie Daniels Chris Wormer Charlie Hayward Bruce Brown Pat McDonald Shannon Wickline former and original members Billy Cox Mark Fitzgerald Barry Barnes Joel DiGregorio Fred Edwards Tom Crain

Studio albums	Charlie Daniels (1971) Te John, Grease, & Wolfman (1972) Honey in the Rock (1973) Way Down Yonder (1974) Fire on the Mountain (1974) Nightrider (1975) Saddle Tramp (1976) High Lonesome (1976) Midnight Wind (1977) Million Mile Reflections (1979) Full Moon (1980) Windows (1982) Me and the Boys (1985) Powder Keg (1987) Homesick Heroes (1988) Simple Man (1989) Renegade (1991) The Devil Went Down to Georgia (1993) America, I Believe in You (1993) The Door (1994) Same Ol' Me (1995) Steel Witness (1996) Blues Hat (1997) By the Light of the Moon (1997) Tailgate Party (1999) Road Dogs (2000) How Sweet the Sound: 25 Favorite Hymns and Gospel Greats (2002) Redneck Fiddlin' Man (2002) Songs From the Longleaf Pines (2005) Deuces (2007) Hits of the South (2013)

Bootleg albums	Corbitt & Daniels: Live from Carnegie Hall (1970)

Compilation albums	A Decade of Hits (1983) Super Hits (1994) The Roots Remain (1996) Fiddle Fire: 25 Years of the CDB (1998) Volunteer Jam/Classic Live Performances: Volume One (1999) Volunteer Jam/Classic Live Performances: Volume two (1999) Freedom and Justice for All (2003) Essential Super Hits (2004) 16 Biggest Hits (2006) Land That I Love (2010) Country: Charlie Daniels (2013)

Live albums	Volunteer Jam (1976) Volunteer Jam III and IV (1978) Volunteer Jam VI (1980) Volunteer Jam VII (1981) The Live Record (2001) Live from Iraq (2007)

Christmas albums	Christmas Time Down South (1990) A Merry Christmas to All (2002) Joy To The World: A Bluegrass Christmas (2009) Hallelujah It's Christmas Time Again (2012)

Singles	"Robot Romp" (1961) "Middle of a Heartache" (1966) "Great Big Bunches of Love" (1972) "Uneasy Rider" (1973) "Whiskey" (1974) "Way Down Yonder" (1974) "Land of Opportunity" (1974) "The South's Gonna Do It" (1975) "Long Haired Country Boy" (1975) "Birmingham Blues" (1975) "Texas" (1975) "Wichita Jail" (1976) "Sweet Louisiana" (1976) "Billy the Kid" (1976) "Good Ole Boy" (1977) "Heaven Can Be Anywhere" (1977) "Sugar Hill Saturday Night" (1978) "Trudy" (1978) "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" (1979) "Mississippi" (1979) "Behind Your Eyes" (1979) "Long Haired Country Boy" re-release (1980) "In America" (1980) "The Legend of Wooley Swamp" (1980) "Carolina (I Remember You)" (1980) "Sweet Home Alabama" (1981) "Still in Saigon" (1982) "Ragin' Cajun" (1982) "We Had it All One Time" (1982) "Stroker's Theme" from Stroker Ace (1983) "American Farmer" (1985) "Still Hurtin' Me" (1985) "Drinkin' My Baby Goodbye" (1986) "Bogged Down in Love With You" (1987) "Powder Keg" (1987) "Boogie Woogie Fiddle Country Blues" (1988) "Uneasy Rider '88" (1988) "Cowboy Hat in Dallas" (1989) "Midnight Train" (1989) "Simple Man" (1989) "Mister DJ" (1990) "(What This World Needs is) A Few More Rednecks" (1990) "Oh Atlanta" (1990) "Honky Tonk Life" (1991) "Twang Factor" (1991) "Little Folks" (1991) "America I Believe in You" (1993) "Two Out of Three" (1994) "Long Haired Country Boy" re-release (1997) "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" re-release (1998) "Road Dogs" (2000) "This Ain't No Rag, It's a Flag" (2001) "Southern Boy" with Travis Tritt (2003) "My Beautiful America" (2003) "Let 'Em Win or Bring 'Em Home" (2011)

Guest singles	"Willie Jones" with Bobby Bare (1980) "The Devil Comes Back to Georgia" Mark O'Connor with Johnny Cash, Marty Stuart, and Travis Tritt (1993) "All Night Long" with Montgomery Gentry (2000) "Country Boy" Aaron Lewis with George Jones (2010)

Video releases	The Band (1981) The Saratoga Concert (1982) Homefolks and Highways (1993) Essential Super Hits (2004) CDB DVD Live (2005) Volunteer Jam: The Movie (2007) Live from Iraq (2007) Charlie Daniels & Friends: Preachin', Prayin', Singin' (2008) Joy To The World: A Bluegrass Christmas (2009)

Related articles	Discography "It Hurts Me" Volunteer Jam Urban Cowboy

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